A NETWORK ON COURSE | AFRICAN YOUTH COMMISSION BLAZING THE TRAIL



The African Youth Commission (AYC) has over the last 2 years, provided a space and voice for youth and youth organisations to set and drive their own development agenda, promoted the involvement of young people as key partners in the implementation of the Africa 2063 Agenda as well the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, supported advocacy actions on the ratification and implementation of the African Youth Charter, other youth rights-based legal instruments and contributed to advancing the AU Shared Values through a network of locally based youth actors across Africa.

Following the success of the 1st and the 2nd and as enshrined by the constitution, the AYC Secretariat in collaboration with the Gambia Youth Council under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of The Gambia is organizing the 3rd African Youth Conference on African Unity and Development on the theme: ‘The Future Is Now; Youth are Not Too Young to Lead’ from the 23rd to 26th of March 2019 in Banjul, The Gambia. The theme is carefully carved out of the aspirations of African Union Heads of State and Government as captured in Article 11 of the African Youth Charter, “Urges States Parties to take measures to promote active youth participation in society; Facilitate the creation or strengthening of platforms for youth participation in decision-making at local, national, regional, and continental levels of governance”.  

Among other things the objective of this conference as that of its predecessors is to create a youth led space to connect in building alliances and the capacity of African youth leaders as they dialogue and interact with policy makers to encourage youth led action and to influence policies and practices of their National Governments, Regional Economic Communities, the African Union and other youth development actors on the African continent.

In line with this conference, close to 350 youth leaders across the African continent and the diaspora have confirmed their participation and will be meeting in Banjul to discuss issues on six (6) thematic areas as aligned to the AYC strategic plan 2018-2020, thematic areas of focus are; 

1. Pan Africanism and African Integration: Youth inclusion and participation in Africa’s integration using AU Agenda 2063 and UN 2030 SDGs as a spring board.
2. Governance and Empowerment: Youth participation and leadership in Political, Civic and Economic developments at all levels.
3. Irregular migration: Youth Cross-border Migration and Children on the Move.
4. Silencing the Guns: Youth and Peace building. 
5. Health and Wellbeing: Reproductive Health and Rights, and Gender-based violence.
6. Climate Change: Environmental Conservation and Governance.

The 3rd Annual AYC conference will will take the format of expert presentations, parallel side-event workshops (breakouts), and interactive plenary panel and roundtable discussions. Key on the Business Agenda of the General Assembly is the elections of officers to man the affairs of the commission for the next two years and it is expected that elections will be highly patronized and keenly contested among highly qualified and distinguish youth leaders across the continent and beyond.

There is no shyness in saying that the 3rd Annual AYC Conference is going to be a high profile one and the partners on-board so far with different levels of commitment and partnership bears much evidence and great appreciation must go to all of them; The Government of Gambia, Gambia Youth Council, United Nations, Child Fund, GCCI, Kenifing Municipal Council, Ethiopian Airline, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, IOE, Co-Funded by the European Union, IPSS|Tana Forum Secretariat, African Artists Peace Initiative, IIP, AGA and finally state of the mic.
The Gambia is already in the mood expecting not just visitors but those who have taken it upon themselves to pursue the Africa We Want Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goal Agenda 2030, beyond the official business of the conference they also expect to be treated to the much vaunted Gambian hospitality of the small but might land of Kunta Kinteh, the smiling coast of Africa.

By:
Cedric Dzelu
Director for Administration and Finance          
African Youth Commission.





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